We’ve been home for nearly 2 months now (will be on the 29th). It seems so short and yet so long. The girls remark on how it seems we’ve been together forever. *smile* Gotta say, I love hearing that.

We’ve settled in quite well. The girls’ English is growing daily. N is on her second book of the Little House series (reading the first one, all 250 pages in about a week… in English!), and A is enjoying Little Critter books. Both are now gladly and excitedly going to youth group and Kid’s Club at church, and have remarked at how much they love our church and how awesome it is.

Last week we started school. I’m homeschooling both of them for at least this year. We’ve got a mix of grade levels for each of them, trying to meet them in each subject right where they are. We’ve all settled into a home routine and, really, we’re doing remarkably well! That’s not to say we don’t have any issues… I mean, come on! We have a teenager and a preteen in the house! But we are blessed and haven’t run into anything that we can’t handle with the help and wisdom of the Lord. And, both girls call us Mom and Dad now, which is so amazing to hear, and they’re always ready for snuggling and family time. Their smiles are infectious!

On Saturday, our social worker came to interview us for a report that has to go to Latvia. (She also said it seemed like we’re all doing really well.) Her report will be translated and head to Latvia, hopefully, in the next 2 weeks.

If you remember, we also have to go back to Latvia for two more trips. The next trip is tentatively scheduled for September 14th or so, with our final court date on the 19th. This court will finalize the actual adoption, and in Latvia’s eyes, the girls will be ours! Only myself (Lydia) and N (our 14 year-old) will be going to this trip, while Chris and A stay home, and it’s only about 1 week long.

This trip is coming very quickly, but we do have some more expenses for this trip. We have not been able to do as much fundraising since the girls are home now. (Can you imagine? The last thing we want them to think is that they are a burden, or that they are for sale! What an awkward situation to be in!) That said, we still need about $5500-6000 for the next trip. This includes plane tickets for the 2 of us, housing and food, as well as the remainder of our fees for our lawyer and translation fees. You can donate through Payapl sending to lydiabischoff (at) gmail (dot) com, or if you need a tax-deduction, I can give you the information to send a check to our church.

Please pray with us about this, and if you can and feel God tugging on your heart to help us, we would really appreciate it! We know God would not bring us this far to leave us now.

Thank you for all of the help you have given us and the prayers you have lifted up! The lives of these two young girls have been changed forever… rescued, ransomed, redeemed… that, alone, is a miracle.